Sunday, February 10, 2013

Capacity Full

Last Friday, we were messing around with fraction strips while working with equivalent fractions. I was thinking to myself just how brilliant fraction strips are. I can't tell you how many light bulb moments my kids had when we work with them. Then it dawned on me....why not make fractions strips for different math strands? So here you have it, my version of capacity strips (they aren't really strips...but play along). Click on this link to download your own capacity strips. My plan is to color copy them onto cardstock, laminate, and use them just like fraction strips. How many cups are in a gallon? Place the cup pieces on top of the gallon to find out. How many cups are in a pint? Place the cup pieces on the pint strip to find out. Endless possibilities. Move over gallon man, capacity strips are here! LOL J/K I say use them both! Or the big G...whatever works! The more ways they see it, the better they understand! There is a labeled version and an unlabeled version. I'm going to use the labeled version first and then the unlabeled to make sure they can identify pictures.

Along with the capacity strips you have to sing the Alice the Camel Capacity Song. I sang this back in the fourth grade and still use it today with my fifth graders. Who doesn't love to sing? Make sure you have them roll their hands and shake their hips to the chorus! :)

Camel Capacity Song

Sung to the tune Alice the Camel

2 half gallons in one gallon

2 half gallons in one gallon

2 half gallons in one gallon

So roll, baby roll

A boom, boom, boom

4 quarts in one gallon

4 quarts in one gallon

4quarts in one gallon

So roll, baby roll

A boom, boom, boom

8 pints in one gallon

8 pints in one gallon

8 pints in one gallon

So roll, baby roll

A boom, boom, boom

16 cups in one gallon

16 cups in one gallon

16 cups in one gallon

So roll, baby roll

A boom, boom, boom

Also, check out this video; it's a good introduction video. Don't forget the Brainpops too! Also, there is this interactive game that you can play where you have to fill different shaped containers with different amounts. How about this BBC game?

7 comments
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I love this post! I actually posted a freebie today on capacity review standard and metric. I'm new to 5th grade and will definitely use this with my group that is struggling with the concept. Thank you so much for sharing.